Despite three of the world’s five rhino species being classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, rhinos remain embroiled at the centre of a bitter poaching battle. In southern Africa, poaching is the single biggest threat to rhino survival, and since 2006, more than a thousand rhinos have been slaughtered by increasingly organised gangs and crime syndicates.

Levels of poaching have escalated in recent years, fuelled largely by increasing demand for rhino horn in Asia, where it is highly valued in traditional medicine. In fact, rhino horn is known to rival the price of gold on the black market; last year in Vietnam dealers quoted prices of up to $133 per gram of rhino horn – almost double the price fetched by gold.

Get Involved: Your chance for a Q & A session with Peter Gwin

With several rhino species edging ever-closer to extinction, the urgent need for conservation of these magnificent animals has never been clearer. So, with that in mind, we’re giving you the chance to find out more about some of the issues surrounding rhino conservation.

The black rhino is the smaller of the two African rhino species, but it is still targeted by poachers for its valuable horn.

What would you like to ask Peter about rhino conservation? Post your questions on our Facebook event page for a chance to discover Peter’s views.

About the author

Peter Gwin has been a staff writer at National Geographic since 2003, reporting on everything from modern pirates in Southeast Asia to early tyrannosaurs in western China. His most recent piece, entitled Rhino Wars, was published in the March 2012 issue of National Geographic magazine.

The article is a hard-hitting piece about some of the gritty issues faced by organisations and individuals’ working to conserve the world’s remaining rhinos (WARNING: some graphic images).

I have always understood that the “GOVERNMENT” of a country means the body of humans who set a leadership standard of excellence. If the people who “lead” a nation don’t take responsibility for the environment, animals and people of that nation, then they are not doing their job. I know this sounds like fantasy, but nation leaders around the globe should be working together to eradicate evil of every kind. Because humans are corruptible, only people of integrity (that work because of their passion – not big money) should be in leadership roles; they would take this matter, for example, as seriously as they should, and worldwide laws that are enforced would ensue. The worlds population would be very aware that if you mess with Rhinos (for example), you will be severely punished (and so will your family, friends etc. that have not alerted the authorities). Its time for the world to wake up and demand leadership of integrity.

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